Window scaffold



Feb. 17, 1942. J, 'M, OBERT, 2,273,370

WINDOW SCAFFOLD Filed June 11, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f l Q1 Patented Feb. 17, 1942 UNITED STATE S PATENT OFFICE WINDOW SCAFFOLD James M. Gberti, San Francisco, Calif. Application June 1.1, 1941, Serial N0.-397,579

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in window scaffolds, and it has for its primary object the provision of a novel supporting structure for window washers.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved Window scaffold adapted to be.detachably mounted on window sills of different types, having novel safety means capable of supporting in a safely suspended position a window washer falling therefrom.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved window scaffold of the kind characterized having novel-clamping means adapted to be detachably applied to window sills of different sizes and shapes, a platform for supporting a window washer, and safety means which, when a window washer using the device accidentally falls from the platform, will safely hold him in a suspended position, while at the same time the clamping means by reason of the suspended weight of the washer is even more securely clamped to the window sill.

Other and further object of my invention will be pointed out hereinafter, will be indicated in the appended claims, or will be obvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the present disclosure. For the purpose of this application I have elected to'show herein certain forms and details of a window scaffold representative of my invention; it is to be understood, however, that the embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is for the purposeof illustration only, and that therefore it is not to be regarded as exhaustive of the variations ofthe invention, nor is it to be given 'an interpretation such as might have the effect of limiting the claims short of the true and most comprehensive scope of the invention in the 'art.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a window scaffold I embodying the preferred principles of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side View of the same;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3'-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a detailed illustration showing one of the safety catches for normally preventing the disengagement of a pin with respect to one of the sill-engaging members and the-supporting platform.

Referring to the drawings a conventional window sill I and a wall structure 2 are shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. A platform 3, made from plywood or other suitable strong, light-weight material, is "provided'at its upper side near its inner edge with horizontally slotted blocks 4 through which the outer ends of hooked sillengaging members 5 adjustably extend. The blocks 4 are preferably secured to the platform at its upper side as by bolts and nuts or other suitable means. The hooked ends of the members 5 are preferably provided with a protective covering 6 of rubber or other suitable material. The sill-engaging members 5 are each provided also with a series of suitably spaced holes 1, any one of which is adapted to be brought into registry with a vertical hole provided in its associated block 4 and the platform 3. Pins 8 extending through holes in the blocks, the platform and the sill-engaging members 5 serve to adjustably secure the said members and the platform together. The extension or retraction of the hooked ends of the members 5 with respect to the platform 3 may be made by means of the pins 8 and holes 1 for the purpose of adjusting the device in accordance with sill and wall structures of different sizes or shapes. So as to prevent the detachment of the pins 8 when the device is in use, there is provided with each pin a pivoted keeper 9 (see Fig. 4) which is adapted to releasably engage with a slot in the said pin. The keepers 9 are each mounted on a plate [0 at the underneath side of the platform, and a spring I l urges the keeper in a direction wherebyit engages with its associated pin.

Screwablyextending through the platform 3, the blocks 4 and plates [2 are screws i3 having shoes M at their lower ends which normally engage with the window sill I. The screwsserve to adjustably support the platform at its inner end in asuitable position above the window sill.

Secured at the outer end of the platform 3 are brackets l5 having suitableepenings for receiving pins l6. Adjustably mounted on the brackets l5 by means of the pins [6 are the inclined legs I! of a U-shaped supporting member I'l'a. A series of spaced openings II in the legs I! of the U-shaped member Ila, in combination with v the pins l 6, serve to adjustably raise or lower the outer end of. the platform with respect to it-sforward end. Secured to the lower ends of the legs I! are semi-circular metal members [8, each of which has a helical spring I9 secured therein. Secured to the inner ends of the helical springs I9 is a lower cross bar 20 which has substantially upright arms 2| bolted thereto.

Threaded through the outer ends of the lower cross bar 20 are adjustable screws 22 which are preferably provided at their inner ends with shoes 23 that normally engage with th outer surface of the Wall 2. The helical springs [9 are designed to reduce the jarring efiect occasioned when the shoes 23 engage with the Wall 2 upon the installation of the device in an operative position on a window sill. The adjustable feature provided by the screws 22 enables the suitable positioning of the lower cross bar 20 and the lower ends of the legs I! with respect to the wall 2-. Bolted to the upper ends of the upright arms 2| is an upper cross bar 24, and forwardly disposed sill-engaging members 25, the latter being disposed at substantially right angles to the upright arms 2 l The members 25 engage with the top of the sill I, while the upper cross bar 24 engages with the sills outer surface. When a persons weight is positioned on the platform 3, an outward pull is exerted on the hooked ends of the sill-engaging members 5, while at the same time there is an inward force directed through the legs [1 and the adjustable screws 22 upon the wall 2. A clamping action results from the two opposing forces, thereby enabling the scaffold to be securely held in place on the window sill.

Centrally secured to the upper cross bar 24 is one end of a chain or rope 26. The chain extends through a hole in the platform 3 located near the latters inner end. Secured to the opposite end of the chain is a rope extension 2! which is normally fastened to a harness, belt or other safety gear worn by the window washer. A pull on the rope 21 will exert an inwardly directed pressure upon the upper cross bar 24, thereby causing it to more firmly engage with the window sill I. Such an inwardly directed pressure will effect the clamping of the scaffold firmly to the window sill even though the weight of the window washer from the platform might be removed by his falling therefrom. Thus, if the window washer accidentally falls from the platform, his weight will exert an inward pull upon the chain 26 and the upper cross bar 24, thereby causing the scaffold to be firmly held on the window sill while the window washer is safely suspended below.

So as to prevent the dislodgement of the pins [6 from the holes H in the legs ll, a projecting member I6 is provided on the head of each pin. The projecting members [6' are brought into engagement with resilient keepers carried by the brackets 15, thereby normally preventing the withdrawal of the pins from the aligned holes in the legs and the said brackets.

The various adjustments enable the scaffold to be readily applied to window sills of different sizes and shapes without any structural changes being required. The platform may be equipped with any one or more of the devices usually employed in washing windows, and if so desired the U-shaped supporting member Ila may be used to support pails, cloths or other paraphernalia required by the window washer. The scaffold is readily attachable and detachable with respect to the window sill, and its easily foldable structure enables a window washer to carry it from one location to another without undue inconvenience.

While I have shown the U-shaped member Ila as being constructed from a suitably shaped angle bar, it is also entirely practical to construct this part of the scaffold as well as the structure comprising the parts 20, 2|, 22 from ply board or other material having suitable strength and durability. Other changes in regard to the shape, size, and construction of certain other parts of the device may also be made 'without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a window scaffold, a platform adapted to support a window washer, sill-embracing mem bers adjustably secured to the platform, adjustable threaded means extending beneath the inner end of the platform for raising or lowering the said inner end of the platform, inclined supporting members adjustably secured to the outer end of the platform having means at their inner ends for engaging with the side of a wall, whereby the outer end of the platform may be adjustably supported, a sill-engaging structure connected to the inner ends of inclined supporting members for normally maintaining the inner ends of the inclined supporting members in positions whereby the wall-engaging means thereon engages with the side of the wall and the inclined members are held in supporting positions, flexible means secured to the sill-engaging structure and extending through the platform and adapted to be attached to a window washer positioned on the platform.

2. In a window scaffold, a platform adapted to support a window washer, adjustable sill-engaging members secured to and extending beneath the platform for vertically adjusting the inner end of the platform with respect to the top of a window sill, an inclined supporting member adjustably secured to the outer end of the platform having means at its inner end for engaging the outer surface of the wall which supports the window sill, whereby the outer end of the platform may be adjustably supported, a sill-engaging structure connected to the inner end of the inclined supporting member, whereby the inner end of the said inclined supporting member may be maintained in a supported position with the wall-engaging means contacting the wall, flexible means secured to the sill-engaging structure and extending through the platform and adapted to be attached to a window washer on the platform.

3. In a window scaffold, a-supporting platform positioned with its inner end supported by a window sill, adjustable sill-embracing members secured to and extending from the inner end of the platform and positioned to embrace the window sill, whereby the platform is held against outward movement, an inclined supporting member adjustably secured to the outer end of the platform and positioned with its inner end abutting the wall which mounts the window sill, whereby the outer end of the platform may be supported, a sill-engaging structure connected at its lower end to the inclined supporting member and having means at its .upper end for engaging with the top of the sill, whereby the inner end of the inclined supporting member may be maintained in a supported position, and flexible means secured to the sill-engaging structure and slidably engaging with the platform near its inner end and adapted to be connected to a window washer on the platform.

4. In a window scaffold, a supporting platform adapted to be supported at its inner end, by a window sill on which the scaffold is mounted, sillembracing members secured to and extending from the inner end of the platform and positioned to embrace the window sill, whereby the platform is held against outward movement, an inclined supporting member pivotally secured to the outer end of the platform and positioned with its inner end abutting the wall which mounts the window sill, whereby the outer end of the platform may be supported, a sill-engaging structure connected at its lower end to-the inclined supporting member and having means at its upper end for engaging with the top of the sill, and other means engaging with the outside of the sill, whereby the inner end of the inclined supporting member may be maintained in a supported position, and flexible safety means secured to the sill-engaging structure and extending upwardly through an opening in the inner portion of the platform, the said safety 'means being normally attached to a person positioned on the platform and being so arranged as to exert an inward pull upon the sill-engaging structure when the person falls from the platform, whereby the scaffold may be firmly clamped to the window sill and the person may be held in a suspended position.

5. In a window scaffold, a supporting platform adapted to be supported at its inner end by a window sill upon which the scaffold is mounted, sill-embracing means secured to and extending from the inner end of the platform, and positioned to embrace the Window sill, whereby the platform is held against outward movement, an inclined supporting member pivotally secured to the outer end of the platform and positioned with its inner end abutting the wall which mounts the window sill, whereby the outer end of the platform may be supported, a sill-engaging structure pivotally connected to the inner end of the inclined member and having means at its upper end for engaging with the top of the window sill and other means engaging with the outside of the sill, flexible means secured to the sill-engaging structure and extending inwardly across the sill and through an opening in the platform, the said flexible means being normally connected to safety equipment carried by a window washer on the platform, the said flexible means being so constructed and arranged as to exert an inward pull upon the sill-engaging structure when the person falls from the platform, wherebythe scaffold may be firmly clamped to the window sill and the window washer may be held in a suspended position.

6. The combination with a window scaffold having a platform for supporting a person, a structure for clamping the scaffold to a window sill, and a flexible safety means secured to the structure and slidably extending through the platform and attachable to the person on the platform; the clamping means being so constructed and arranged as to grip the Window sill more firmly when a pull is exerted on the flexible safety means.

JAMES M. OBERTI. 

